Spring Break
Primaries urge student voting
JULIA SEVY
Issue date: 1/11/08 Section: News
With the national election on the horizon, campus groups are increasing awareness about voter registration.
Student organizations such as the Young Democrats and College Republicans provide voter registration forms and absentee ballots at their meetings to encourage members to register to vote in Athens-Clarke County.
"Students live here now," said Nick Solari, executive director of Young Democrats.
"The national elections are what most people are excited about, but the local elections have more of an impact on students."
To encourage students to register to vote locally, the Young Democrats will host "Get Out The Vote" at Tate Plaza around the time of the Georgia primary election on Feb. 5.
There will be representatives for each major candidate, along with signs, bumper stickers and pins to remind students to vote, Solari said.
The Young Democrats also will have a poster where students can sign their names as their pledge to vote. The day of Georgia's primary, the Young Democrats have planned a viewing party for those interested to see the election's results.
Cora Wright, elections assistant for the Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections, said that there is no way to tell how many registered voters in the county are students.
But, Wright said, with the deadline to register for the Georgia primary Jan. 7, the ACC Board of Elections received an influx of registration cards.
"Many students don't realize that when they register to vote in Athens-Clarke County, it takes away their registration in their home county," Wright said.
Wright said this is a common question and advised students to register to vote in the county that they are most involved with, she said.
A representative from the College Republicans could not be reached.
Student organizations such as the Young Democrats and College Republicans provide voter registration forms and absentee ballots at their meetings to encourage members to register to vote in Athens-Clarke County.
"Students live here now," said Nick Solari, executive director of Young Democrats.
"The national elections are what most people are excited about, but the local elections have more of an impact on students."
To encourage students to register to vote locally, the Young Democrats will host "Get Out The Vote" at Tate Plaza around the time of the Georgia primary election on Feb. 5.
There will be representatives for each major candidate, along with signs, bumper stickers and pins to remind students to vote, Solari said.
The Young Democrats also will have a poster where students can sign their names as their pledge to vote. The day of Georgia's primary, the Young Democrats have planned a viewing party for those interested to see the election's results.
Cora Wright, elections assistant for the Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections, said that there is no way to tell how many registered voters in the county are students.
But, Wright said, with the deadline to register for the Georgia primary Jan. 7, the ACC Board of Elections received an influx of registration cards.
"Many students don't realize that when they register to vote in Athens-Clarke County, it takes away their registration in their home county," Wright said.
Wright said this is a common question and advised students to register to vote in the county that they are most involved with, she said.
A representative from the College Republicans could not be reached.
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